Explosion and fire at Canada's largest oil refinery

An explosion and fire ripped through Canada's largest refinery on Monday (Oct 8) in what the company that owns it called a "major incident."

An oil refinery fire at Irvine Oil refinery in St. John's, New Brunswick. (Jordan McWILLIAMS/AFP)

The blast was believed to be the result of a malfunction in the diesel refining section of the Irving Oil refinery in St John's, New Brunswick, said company executive Kevin Scott.

Officials said all the plant's workers were accounted for after the fire, and four people received hospital treatment for minor injuries.

Images posted on social media networks showed intermittent flames and a column of black smoke rising from the refinery, the country's largest with a production capacity of 300,00 barrels of refined products a day.

Rob Beebe, who lives near the refinery, told Radio Canada he felt his house shake, followed by a blast.